Jello.Shots.

With the crazy warm weather we've been having here in Orange County, I can't help but have thoughts of Summer on my mind.


How refreshing, and adorable might I add, do these watermelon, lime jello shots look!?

Opportunist.

LOVE THIS!!!!

Gray.And.Yellow.

This outfit is simply adorable. Yellow and gray are perfect together. I want this...

Ribbons.of.Support.

Well how cute is this sports bra from Victoria's Secret?

Holds the girls up and the pink ribbon reminds us to support breast cancer research.

Not sure that the ribbon design was intentional since from what I can see there are no proceeds being donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation from any sales, but it's a good reminder for us to donate on our own.

Support the ta-tas!

Awesome.Followers.

XOXOXO to my followers! :)

Mermaid.Magic.

Hmmm.... I wish I could get my hands on some of this glitterific potion. Mermaid magic? How cool would it be to spend a day as a mermaid!?! I wonder if Prince Eric comes with this bottle of magic...

Coconut.Rice.Pudding.

Mmm. I love rice pudding. But I never make it. In fact, it's one of those foods that I love but I always forget about! This recipe is from the latest issue of Cooking Light Magazine and it sounds really yummy.


Ingredients -

• 1 cup water
  
• 1 cup uncooked instant rice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

Directions -

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover. Set aside.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl.

Combine 1/4 cup milk and yolks in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add sugar mixture to milk mixture, stirring with a whisk until blended.

Bring remaining 1 1/4 cups milk and coconut milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Gradually add hot milk mixture to yolk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cooked rice, coconut, and next 3 ingredients (through cardamom). Top with pistachios.

A.Kick.In.The.Pants.

Hope something on here has inspired you to keep going! Make it a great week my friends...

Be.Happy.

Well that's a good way to see things. Enjoy this day my friends. It's Sunday Funday - so go do something exciting :)

Bright.Eyes.

Now those are some bold eyes. I love this look! I see a trip to the MAC store in my near future.

Answer.This.Question.

Find something you enjoy doing and make working out fun. You will thank me when you're done, and you'll feel better than you do right now.

Now, go!

Hey.There.Good.Lookin.

Well thank you Mr. Hanger! Now, where can I buy some of these?

Cancelled.

Ha Ha Ha! Don't you wish this would be a valid excuse on "those" days? You know the ones I'm talking about!

Turkey.Sausage.Pasta.Salad.

This pasta salad looks so mouth-watering good! Maybe it's the fun shaped pasta that intrigues me the most. Or maybe all the colors. All I know is I can't wait to try this...

Ingredients -

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 hot or sweet Italian sausages
• 8 ounces wagon-wheel pasta

Directions -

1. Prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals or heat gas grill to medium-high; coat rack with nonstick cooking spray. For dressing, whisk together 4 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Brush tomatoes, eggplant, and onion with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pierce sausages several times with the point of a small knife. Grill vegetables and sausages, turning often, 13 to 15 minutes, or until sausages are no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; place in a large bowl.

4. Remove vegetables from grill and chop into bite-size pieces; cut sausages into coins, then cut each coin in half. Add sausage and vegetables to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Thank you Fitness Magazine for this delicious idea.

The.Book.of.Life.

I love this! I am a firm believer in having no regrets. Everything happens for a reason and we have to overcome some pretty challenging obstacles at times.

Life isn't easy.
People come and go.
We feel disappointed at times.
But, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Besides, what good would a book be without many chapters?

Scrabble.Coaster.

Well how cute is this little coaster set? I'm going to have to keep this in mind as a fun DIY gift idea for all my Scrabble-loving friends :)

LBT.

How totally adorable and ultra feminine is this top?! And call me crazy, but it looks like something even I could make. Well, maybe not unless I could get away with using fabric glue...

Plain black tank top + lace = one sexy ensemble!

Forget the LBD (little black dress), this is one hot LBT (little black tank)!

FItness.At.Home.

NO excuses... get up and MOVE! This is a totally doable at-home exercise routine that does not require a single piece of gym equipment and will only take a few minutes to complete.

Now, go get that body you've been wanting!

Gratitude.

Well isn't that just the truth!

Tropical.Dreaming.

Today I am wishing I could be whisked away to the beautiful sands of Maui. I can feel the warm, humid air on my skin and the smell of Plumeria delighting my senses. I want to frolick about in the bluest blue water and dig my toes deep into the warm sand. The thought of eating macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup at the Gazebo in Napili makes my mouth water and I can taste the sweetest pineapple on my lips.


Maybe if I close my eyes, I will be there when I wake up...

Crock-Pot.Orange.Chicken.

I have always wanted to try making dinner in a Crock-Pot, especially because my schedule is always so hectic and I don't get home until I'm way past starving. I came across this recipe today for Orange Chicken and think I'll give it a whirl.

Ingredients -

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 large oranges (2 chopped, 2 juiced)
• 2 large sweet potatoes (cut in 1/8’s)
• 2 large celery stocks (cut into one-inch pieces)
• 4 large carrots (cut into two-inch pieces)
• 1 red onion (sliced)
• 2 large sprigs of rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup water

Directions -

1. Layer ingredients, starting with carrots, sweet potato, celery, onion, then chicken.

2. Squeeze two large oranges over entire dish and sprinkle remaining chopped orange pieces, water, and sprigs of rosemary on top.

3. Cook on high for one hour, then turn down to low and cook six to eight hours more (depending on Crock-Pot).

4. When done, pour liquid from Crock-Pot into bowl and serve as orange gravy.

Thanks Beachbody for this yummy recipe. For more low-cal recipes like this one, please visit www.FitCoachTaryn.com

Pink.Perfection.

What a GREAT coat! I wish this little piece of pink perfection would hang itself right up in my closet. Or better yet...on me!

Caesar.Salad.

Today I'm feeling like a yummy Caesar Salad, but if you're like me and don't like those little baby fishies, aka ANCHOVIES (ICK!), sitting on top of your salad, then Caesar is probably not your first pick when it comes to ordering a salad.

Well, up until now, I've always strayed away from making homemade Caesar dressing because of the not-so-lovely requirement of Anchovies, or some form of Anchovies (paste, etc.). However, I recently stumbled upon a recipe that requires no form of sea life what-so-ever and I am very excited to give it a whirl:

Ingredients -

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 raw egg (1 tablespoon mayonnaise can be used in lieu of the raw egg)
• Pinch of sugar

Directions -

Add all of the ingredients to the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add your lettuce of choice (Romaine is recommended) along with croutons and Parmesan cheese. Toss and enjoy!

S.M.A.R.T.

As you think about your New Year's resolutions and you set new goals for 2012, make sure to apply the SMART principle.

Goals must be specific. What is it that you want and what are the steps you are going to take to get you there?

Goals must be measurable. Don't just hope to lose weight. Tell yourself how much weight you want to lose. Don't just hope for more money. How much money do you want to be earning? When you set measurable goals, you'll be able to determine how successful you are in making those goals realities.

Goals must be attainable. Don't set yourself up for failure.

Goals must be realistic. Aim for realistic things that you can achieve if you put in the hard work that is necessary. Be prepared to work for your goals. Simply putting your hopes and dreams out into the universe isn't enough. You must be willing to work hard for the things you want.

Goals must be time-bound. I want to do/be/see/have_____ in "x" days/weeks/months. Fill in the "x" and stick to it.

Use a well thought out to-do list daily and refer to it often. When you see your goals written down, along with the small steps that you need to take to reach those goals, you'll constantly be reminded of the things you want and you won't ever lose sight of your goals.

Make 2012 your best year yet!

Happy.New.Year.

Goodbye 2011! Hello 2012! I am so excited to see what you have in store for me and am hopeful for good things to come!

Happy New Year my darling friends! May this year bring you love, happiness, new friendships, fun memories and endless possibilities! XOXO